It was 11:48, and Jamie really wished he’d asked for the day off.
It was 12 minutes away from Black Friday, and he could already see the masses of people clamoring at the door for 70% discounts. He felt tens of eyes staring in his direction, not at him, but at the huge “ALL PRODUCTS 60% OFF OR MORE” sign standing behind him. He’d compare it to hungry piranhas seeing a juicy piece of steak. He shuddered, freaking himself out with the analogy. He looked at the watch on his wrist, with the glass slightly cracked, and read the time.
It was 11:49. He’d forgotten Black Friday had existed in the first place, honestly, despite his coworkers speaking about it like an urban legend the entire week before. Maybe he should have listened to them, he thought.
At that thought, his coworker, Rina, walked up next to him. She eyed the door worryingly, fidgeting with her hands. Rina was around the same age as him, the both of them in their early 20s. Her bright red hair contrasted greatly with her timid attitude, but Jamie couldn’t blame her with the people they had to deal with on a daily basis.
“I’ve never worked a Black Friday shift.” She stammered.
“Me neither.” Jamie replied, tapping his foot to a song he only half-remembered. “We’ll get through it though, can’t be that bad,” he said, trying to cheer her up. It hadn’t worked, considering Rina was still shaking like a leaf.
The situation quickly became awkward, with his coworker being too scared to add anything to the conversation. Just then, another worker walked over, significantly less timid.
Cooper stood behind them, taller, older, and wiser. Jamie had always thought he was a bit egotistical for a guy working a register. He had a funny demeanor and a can-do attitude, so their manager loved the blonde.
“Last time I worked during black Friday, someone died,” Cooper said, grinning. Jamie looked unimpressed while Rina gasped, falling for what was in Jamies opinion, an obviously fake story. How long would he have to put up with this?
He checked his watch once more. It was 11:52, eight minutes until ravaging consumers would burst in through the doors.
“Is that true? Did someone really die?” Rina asked.
“Don’t entertain him,” Jamie scoffed, arms crossed. “He’s just trying to scare you.”
“Nah dude,” Cooper said. “It’s totally true. It didn’t happen here, though. Happened at my old job at Target. Some guy was fighting someone for a flatscreen TV, 80% off. He got knocked down, twisted his ankle and got trampled!”
Cooper peppered his story with exaggerated hand movements and a tone like he was telling a scary story at a campfire. Rina looked terrified, as if one more detail could make her burst into tears.
“Even if that was true, and it’s not, it’s not like that’s gonna happen here,” Jamie said, trying to cool Rina’s nerves.
“I dunno man; they’re literally clawing at the windows out there.” Cooper challenged him, surprisingly deadpan compared to his usual natural smugness.
Jamie opened his mouth to say Cooper had a real problem with hyperbolic metaphors, but before he looked behind him, he saw that the soon-to-be customers were, in fact, literally clawing at the windows to get in.
“Does everyone just lose any semblance of tact on Black Friday?’ He wondered incredulously. Then again, retail customers barely ever had any as is.
The clock struck 11:55, only five minutes until they’d be forced to open the doors to the mob outside. Jamie thought of an old zombie shooter game he used to play when he was 13, and he almost chuckled at how similar everyone outside was to the horde of fictional undead.
“We’d better start heading to our registers,” Cooper grinned. “Getting ambushed by these guys isn’t really a part of my schedule.”
Even though Jamie wasn’t fond of the guy, he was right. It was a part of every zombie-survival guide to be prepared, and even though it was a little exaggerative to call these people straight-up zombies, the resemblance was a bit uncanny.
Cooper walked off, that usual put-together look on his face fading a bit when he headed to his register. Now that Jamie thought about it, it would make sense he’d be apprehensive about all this, too. It didn’t really make him less of a jerk, but it did explain why he was especially being one tonight.
Rina, on the other hand, was openly scared, waddling back to her register like a timid penguin. Jamie sighed, trailing after her and putting his hand on her shoulder. Rina flinched, turning back to look at him.
“You really shouldn’t worry, Rina. It’ll only be one night,” he assured her. “We’ll be okay.”
“Are you sure? I really don’t want to see anyone die.” Rina warbled.
“Only thing that’s gonna die is your sanity if you keep listening to Cooper of all people.” Jamie joked, offering a comforting smile.
Rina laughed at that, looking like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “Thanks, Jamie.”
With that, she left for her register, and Jamie did the same, feeling like a bit of a good Samaritan. A warm feeling spread in his chest, and he felt maybe, he did a good thing tonight.
11:59. Only one minute away from the moment of truth. Each employee held their breath, the air thick with tension. Cooper tapped his foot impatiently. Rina shook her hands in the air, trying to get rid of any jitters, while Jamie stood still as a statue, nerves alight with trepidation. The seconds counted down to the climax, and determination took over his mind.
The floodgates to hell opened, and Black Friday began.
-Nicky Newsome
